Wild welcome newcomer Ian Cole

Minnesota Wild head coach Dean Evason, players Nick Bonino, Ian Cole, and Jared Spurgeon spoke to the media following Wednesday’s morning skate in Anaheim.

The Wild play the Ducks Wednesday night at 8:30 p.m.

***CLICK ON THE VIDEO BOX TO HEAR FROM COLE, EVASON, BONINO, AND SPURGEON***

In a 1-for-1 trade, the Minnesota Wild receive defenseman Ian Cole from Colorado for defenseman Greg Pateryn.

Cole owns 138 points, a plus-95 rating, 507 penalty minutes, 599 shots, 730 hits, and 987 blocked shots in 543 career games in 11 NHL seasons with St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Columbus, and Colorado (2010-21). He’s won two Stanley Cups. Wild general manager Bill Guerin knows Cole well from when he worked for the Penguins’ front office.

Cole spoke about the trade, what his first impressions of the Wild are, what Guerin told him when he was traded to Minnesota, how he moves his life to Minnesota, how it is getting acclimated to the Wild during COVID, what it’s like getting traded, and what his role on the team will now be.

Evason, Bonino, and Spurgeon all spoke about Cole as a player and person, how he will fit with the team, and how he will fit in with the Wild.